Fur Ball and Us
by Hypnotoad76
Summary: Annie and Jeff become parents of a puppy
1. Chapter 1

There are days when one wakes up and instinctively knows things are about to change. Where you just know that before the day is over an event will have occurred that will alter your life forever.

For Annie Edison, this was not one of those days.

When she woke up it felt like any normal Saturday. She had a bowl of cereal before showering and getting dressed. After the guys left to do their various weekend activities Annie took advantage of their absence by vacuuming and dusting, then getting some studying done in peace and quiet. Just a fairly typical Saturday.

What wasn't typical was the guys returning later that afternoon with a large cardboard box. "Annie, you'll never guess what we just got," Troy said as he carefully set the box down.

Knowing it could be anything Annie cautiously approached the box, jumping back in surprise when it moved. Her surprise turned to delight when it tipped over and a small puppy crawled out.

"AW! It's adorable." She gently picked the puppy up and looked at him. He was small with a compact body. He had a short rounded face and brown fur with black along the bottom half of his face. "He looks like the dog from As Good As It Gets." The smile left her face as she looked at Troy and Abed. "Why do we suddenly have a puppy?"

"Some guy was giving a bunch away on the side of the road," Troy excitedly said as he scratched the puppy behind his ears.

"We were going to name it Vera after the dog from As Good As It Gets," Abed said. "But it's a boy so we're naming him Barvis, who was the dog that Constable Reggie bonded with in the twelfth season of Inspector Spacetime."

Annie sighed as she looked at Troy and Abed, feeling like a mother about to disappoint the children. "I know you love the dog," she said as she desperately tried to avoid looking at the dog as he cocked his little head and stared at her. "But we can't keep a puppy here. It takes a lot of hard work to raise a dog. You have to feed it, train it, clean up after it."

"We'll do all of that," Troy said. "Honest."

"We can use an animal companion. He can be Lockheed and you can be Shadowcat," Abed said.

Annie groaned as the two men eagerly looked at her. "Ok, fine." She gently put the puppy down before giving Abed and Troy her best formidable face. "But this is your dog. Which means he's your responsibility. You have to clean up after him, and train him, and take him to the vet."

"We'll do all of that. We promise," Abed said.

"You two better. Did you ask the guy you got him from if the dog's had his shots?"

"He didn't say," Abed said.

"Ok. Did you at least pick up supplies, like dog food and a leash and collar?"

She waited apprehensively as they looked at each other. "Um, we got the box," Troy said.

Several hours later Annie, Troy and Abed returned from the vet's and pet store. Each of their bank accounts were now lighter after having shelled out several hundred dollars for shots and a check up, and then for other supplies like a dog collar, leash, a food and water bowl, dog food, dog shampoo, a doggy bed, and chew toys. It's just one screw up, Annie thought. Anyone could have made it.

As she collapsed on one of the recliners the dog came over and barked at her. She inched forward as she scratched behind his ears. "Just remember little guy; they're your owners. I'm just your roommate."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Jeff, hey." Annie stepped aside as Jeff walked into the apartment. "What are you doing here?"

"Do I always need a reason to come over? There's only so much trash TV someone can take before they lose their mind. Where are the guys?"

"They ran out to get some more dog food."

"Why do you need dog food?" His question was immediately answered as he saw a small puppy bound over to him excitedly. Jeff took a step back as the dog started sniffing his foot. "When did this happen?"

"Yesterday. Troy and Abed got him. He's cute isn't he?"

"I guess. For an overgrown rat."

"JEFF! He's not a rat. He's a dog."

"Annie, that's not a dog. Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Bloodhounds, those are dogs. That's just something spoiled celebrities carry around in their purses. It's a ball of fur." Almost absentmindedly Jeff bent down and rubbed the dog's head. "Aren't you, you little fur ball."

"Don't call him that Jeff. His name's Barvis, not Fur Ball."

"Barvis?"

"Abed came up with it. Something to do with Inspector Spacetime."

"Of course it is. How much do you want to bet you're going to do everything for that ball of fur?"

"It's their dog. They'll take care of him." She looked over and sighed as the dog whined and scratched at the door. Annie ignored the look Jeff gave her as she attached the leash to his collar and got a plastic grocery bag. "It's just one time because they're out. Do you want to keep me company?"

"One time, sure," Jeff said as he followed Annie out the door.

"It is."

"Sure it is. Even Fur Ball knows you're now its mother.

"His name is Barvis! NOT FUR BALL! And I mean it! This is just a onetime thing."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It wasn't.

For the first few days after the puppy came into their lives Troy and Abed actually took care of him. They tried dressing him up in a dog sized tie and bowler hat that Barvis wore in Inspector Spacetime and would walk and feed him. They even cleaned up after him when he had an accident.

But after a week the boys grew bored with the puppy and became careless with its care. They still liked him, but they would frequently forget to put food out for him or walk him in the morning. And whenever the dog had an accident they'd find 'creative' ways to dealing with the situation without actually cleaning it up.

So Annie found herself reluctantly taking over dog duties. When she woke up she'd instinctively check his food and water bowl, and then sigh in annoyance when she saw that it was empty before feeding and watering him. And despite the fact that it usually made her late, she'd walk him before school. And then after school. At first she forced Troy and Abed to come with her, angrily stating that they should be doing this themselves because it was THEIR dog. But eventually she just gave up and would walk him by herself. She also took over cleaning up any accidents since she was sick of the apartment smelling like dog urine and Kool Aid.

As the weeks went by she starting thinking of him as HER dog, rather than her roommates dog. At first it was simply because she was doing more for him. But soon it also had to do with the dog itself. Whenever she came home he ran over to her, barking until she played with him. And he always liked to snuggle with her more then with Troy and Abed (though she had a firm rule about no one barging into her room she made an exception for their furriest roommate.)

But what truly seemed to cerement that the dog didn't regard Troy or Abed as its master was the fact that he never responded to his name. Whenever anyone called him Barvis he just stood there, and gave you a look that clearly said '_that's not my name_'. The only name he seemed to respond to was Fur Ball. Annie blamed Jeff entirely for that one. Whenever he came over that was exactly how he'd greet the dog, no matter how many times she asked Jeff not to call him that. Eventually Annie just had to accept that Fur Ball was the dog's name, even though Troy and Abed still insisted that it was Barvis.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Jeff, I need a favor."

Jeff continued walking down the hallway as Annie walked beside him. "I know I'm going to regret saying this, but what is it?"

"I enrolled Fur Ball in Good-Dogs-For-Life."

"What?"

"It's a doggy day care slash obedience school for puppies."

"You're a go get em parent. The kid's only a couple months old and he's already in school."

Annie chose to ignore that as she continued. "I usually pick him up after my 2pm class ends, but I have a lab project due on Friday and my partner can only meet this afternoon. Can you please pick up Fur Ball and take him home for me?"

"And you're roommates can't do this because?"

"Abed has a film class and whenever Troy picks Fur Ball up from daycare he undoes all the work that was done. Jeff, please."

Jeff groaned as he already knew what his answer was going to be. "Fine."

"Thank you." Annie hugged Jeff, holding on for longer than necessary before she pulled away and handed Jeff a business card. "Here's the address. You can take Fur Ball back home, or keep him at your place until I'm done."

"That dog isn't getting anywhere near my place. And he's not riding in my Lexus unless he's in a crate in the trunk."

"Jeff!"

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks for coming with me Shirley."

"That's fine." She glanced over at Jeff holding Fur Ball on his lap. "Though let's not pretend the main reason you called me was so we could take my minivan and not risk getting your car messed up."

"That's not…you know I enjoy your company."

"I never said you didn't. I just know you didn't want anything happening to your Lexus."

"Think of this as a win/win. We get to spend time together and I don't risk my leather seats getting chewed." Jeff inched back as Fur Ball tried to lick his face. "Hey, quit it."

Shirley giggled as she looked over at the two of them. "That dog loves you."

"Well I don't love him."

"Then why are you always going over to Troy and Abed's and helping out with the dog?"

"I'm just helping Annie out. She's basically the only one taking care of him."

Shirley gripped the steering wheel as she drove, contemplating if she should say anything. "Jeff." She gathered her thoughts as she looked over at her friend. "Can I ask you something?"

"What."

"Are you ever going to tell Annie how you feel about her?"

Jeff gasped at that one. That was probably the last thing he ever expected to come out of Shirley's mouth. "What? There's nothing-."

"Don't give me that Jeffrey. I've seen the way you look at her. For a man who claims to not be romantic you sure spend a lot of time making googly eyes at that girl." She pulled over onto a side street and parked the minivan before continuing. "The point is you care about her, and not just as a friend. I may not be entirely comfortable with the idea of you two together, but even I can see there's something there. And she's not going to wait around forever. So either get on that train or let it leave the station."

Jeff looked down at Fur Ball, who seemed to have been listening to Shirley. He looked up at Jeff, giving him a look that clearly said _'listen to her and be with Mommy'. _

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you again for picking up Fur Ball yesterday Jeff."

"No problem." He looked at Annie, trying not to notice that she didn't have a cardigan on and that her neck and collar bone were looking very delectable. "Listen, are you doing anything tonight?"

"Actually yes. I have a date."

Jeff almost stopped short as he fully turned to look at her. "What?"

"With my lab partner Jason. He asked me out to dinner yesterday."

"Annie-."

"What?" she said with a bit of a challenge. "What Jeff?"

He looked at her for a long moment before shrugging with fake nonchalance. "Nothing." She gave him a look of sad disappointment before she nodded her head and headed to class.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Jeff groaned as he saw his cell phone vibrating. Who the hell is calling at 11:30 at night on a Wednesday, he thought. As he picked up his phone he saw that the call was from Annie. For a moment he contemplated not answering it. But before his brain could tell his hand what to do he found himself answering his phone. "What do you want? If it's to gossip about your date that's not-."

"Jeff, please come over here right now!"

Jeff's annoyance immediately disappeared as he heard her on the other end. She was crying and sounded close to hysterics. "What's wrong?"

"It's Fur Ball. He ate some chocolate and is really sick. I tried calling the vet but their office is closed and I don't have a home number. And the emergency room said they won't take a dog. Jeff I'm scared!"

Jeff's own stomach twisted in knots as he heard her cry. "I'll be right over."

He called Britta and told her what had happened before leaving his place, figuring between her cats and helping out at the animal hospital she could be some help. He sped the entire way over and made it there just as Britta did.

"Jeff, Britta." Annie hugged Jeff as Britta brushed past them and went over to Fur Ball. He was curled in a ball next to Annie's door softly whining, a pile of vomit next to his head. She gently felt his body before turning towards Annie. "He had a fever. Annie, get me a washcloth and run it under cool water."

Jeff followed Annie as she went to the kitchen. "What happened?"

"I came back from my date and he was lying by my door." Her hands shook as she grabbed a dishtowel. Jeff took it from her and ran it under the sink as her voice choked. "There were four ripped apart king size snickers wrappers on the table. The guys must have left them out."

"And where are the guys?" Jeff said angrily.

"At the movies. Something about an all night marathon of Inspector Spacetime's best episodes." Annie took the washcloth from Jeff and ran over to Britta. "How is he?"

"Not good. He has a fever and his heart rate is racing. Get me my purse Jeff." Jeff handed it to Britta, who pulled out a small white bottle."

"What is that?"

"Toxiban. It keeps poisons from entering the bloodstream. I give it to my cats whenever they eat something poisonous. Get me some water and a teaspoon." Britta waited as Annie got her a spoon and a glass of water. She mixed a teaspoon of the white powder in the glass before opening Fur Ball's mouth and pouring it down his throat. Fur Ball squirmed, but managed to swallow the liquid. Britta then wiped his face down with the wet dishtowel before wrapping it around him.

"You said he was like this when you came home?"

"Yes Britta. He was exactly like this. Is he going to be ok?"

"I don't know. I have no idea how long it's been since he ate the chocolate, so I have no idea how long it's been in his system for. At this point we'll have to just wait and see what happens over the next several hours."

Annie turned into Jeff's chest and started sobbing. Jeff held onto her tightly as he felt his own body shake in fear. He carefully moved them both until they were sitting on the floor, never letting go of her as she cried.

The three of them stayed up for hours watching over Fur Ball. They kept waiting for some sign that he might be getting better. But sadly he looked exactly the same. None of them said anything as they kept vigil. Annie kept her hand on Fur Ball's head, praying that he'd get better. As the hours slipped by they all felt themselves growing sleepy from fatigue and sadness. Britta fell asleep first, then Jeff, and finally Annie.

The next thing Jeff was aware of was someone licking his face. For a brief moment he thought it was Annie, and actually thought _'her breath is really bad in the morning.'_ He then opened his eyes and saw two big black eyes staring back at him. He gasped in relief as he saw Fur Ball looking at him.

"Hey little guy." He carefully grabbed hold of the dog and inched him into his lap as he nudged Annie. "Annie. Wake up."

"Wha-," she said as she looked down. Her confusion immediately became delight at seeing Fur Ball yipping and trying to jump on her. "FUR BALL!" She scooped him up as the dog pawed at her, laughing/sobbing as she held the dog close to her. "You're all right!" She laughed and smiled up at Jeff, who smiled back as he petted the squirming puppy.

"Aw." The two of them looked over at Britta's smiling face. "Looks like someone's feeling better."

"Is he going to be ok?" Annie asked.

Britta gently took hold of Fur Ball as she examined him. "I'd still keep an eye on him, at least for another day. But I think he's going to be ok," she said as she put the puppy down.

"Britta, thank you." Annie ran over and hugged Britta tightly. "You saved Fur Ball's life."

"No problem. Just make sure no one leaves chocolate out anymore." She petted Fur Ball before gathering her things. "Ok, I should make sure my own cats are all right. Bye you two."

Jeff glanced over at Britta as she left before he suddenly felt Annie wrap her arms around him. "Easy there."

"Thank you Jeff. What you did…"

"I think Britta might have done a little more than I did in this situation."

"But you were the one who thought to call her. And you held me while I cried. I don't know what I would have done if Fur Ball…" She swallowed down her tears as she looked up at Jeff. "You were there for me last night Jeff."

"Yea well, I couldn't exactly let the little guy perish. And I couldn't leave you alone while you were that upset. You're too important to me for that."

They looked into each other's eyes before Jeff leaned down and kissed her. She gripped tightly onto his arms as she kissed him right back. The spark she had felt the few times they had kissed returned in spades. Their lips moved with more urgency as Jeff ran one hand through her hair while fisting the back of her shirt with the other.

They both snapped out of it as they heard Fur Ball bark. They pulled away, both of them slightly out of breath. "Well, that was…"

"Jeff, just don't. I know you're already thinking of a million ways to say that it was a mistake, or that-."

"I was going to say it was amazing."

She abruptly stopped talking as she heard that. "Really?"

"For someone who doesn't have a lot of experience you're a really great kisser."

She smiled a little smile before her face grew more serious. "So now what?"

Jeff uncharacteristically fidgeted as he tried to think of an answer. "I don't know."

Although her face remained passive he was able to see a smile in her eyes. "Least that's better than an immediate rejection. Look Jeff, we're both tired after last night. Let's take a little time and then we'll talk about this. BUT," she stressed as her voice grew serious. "We are going to talk about this."

"Got it." He smiled back at her as he left. He was lucky he left when he did, because only a few minutes later Troy and Abed came back from their marathon. As soon as Annie saw them she ripped into them. All of her anger over their behavior came bursting out of her as she screamed with the conviction of an angry mother.

"I am sick of it! You two want a puppy and promise to take care of him! But then you never do anything! All the responsibility to that dog falls to me! I walk him, I feed him, I take him to doggy day care, I do everything! And then because of your carelessness he almost dies! I stayed up all night a nervous wreck while you two were out watching movies! Well I'm telling you that this is the last straw! I've had it! You two might have found him, but I'M that dog's owner! For now on FUR BALL is my dog! And if you EVER do anything again that endangers that dog I swear you will be in a world of trouble!

She picked up Fur Ball and stormed into her room as the boys stood in the living room. Troy started crying and even Abed was scared at being on the receiving end of Annie's wrath.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"I GOT IN!"

The group cheered as Annie waved her Grad school acceptance letter in celebration. Everyone walked over to her as Annie was engulfed in a giant group hug. As everyone separated from her Jeff gave her a separate hug before kissing her deeply. They ignored the group's groans (which had become a common occurrence during the last few months) as they sat down.

"So Jeff, are you also moving to Oregon now?" Abed asked. "That'd make for an interesting spinoff."

"Yea, like that's happening," Jeff scoffed.

Annie glared at Jeff before addressing the group. "We talked about it, but we decided that it'd be better if Jeff didn't come and relocated his entire life. Especially since I don't plan to stay there once I'm done with school."

"Good. I'm already losing my favorite. I don't want to lose my best friend also," Pierce said.

"We're not-." Jeff groaned before putting on a clearly fake smile. "Thanks Pierce."

Luckily Troy broke the tension by choosing that moment to start crying. "Annie, please don't go. We'll never see you again."

"Troy, I'm only going away for two years. I'll be back. And I'll still come back and visit. Every school break."

"Really?"

"Really."

They spent the rest of the study session studying for their latest Greendale test (or as much as they usually were able to fit in) before packing up and leaving, with Shirley reminding everyone to be at her house for dinner by six.

"How are you?" Annie asked Jeff as they got in his car.

He waited a few moments as he tried to figure out how to answer the question. "Honestly? I'm definitely proud of you for getting in. You deserve it and will do great. But I'm not going to lie. I hate that you're going and will miss the hell out of you."

"I hate it two. Believe me." She sighed deeply as looked at Jeff. "I got the letter yesterday."

"What? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was scared of what it would mean. It took us over three years to get together. And now in a few months I'll be moving away for two years. Can we really do this?"

"Annie, listen. You know me. When it comes to relationships the only ones I generally believe in are the ones I don't have to put in any effort. But it's you. If you were spending the next five years underwater studying giant squids I'd still want to try and make it work. We'll figure out how."

Annie smiled as she leaned in and kissed her boyfriend. After several minutes she gently pulled back. "There is one thing I wanted to ask you. And I know it's not an issue until I leave at the end of August. But…"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Please take good care of him!" Troy cried as he scratched Fur Ball behind his ears. "He means so much to us!"

"I will," Jeff said as he fought the urge to remind them that he and Annie had done a lot more to take care of the dog then they had.

"Annie would be upset if anything happened to him," Abed said.

"I know." Jeff looked around the rapidly emptying apartment. It seemed odd that soon none of them would be living in Casa Trobed anymore. "When are you and Britta moving in together anyway Troy?"

"We already put the deposit down on our apartment. So we'll move in next week after the lease is up and the old owners move out."

Jeff nodded his head as he looked over at Abed. "And when do you start your internship in Denver?"

"End of September."

"OK." He moved his arms to keep the squirming dog from falling out of his grip. "I should probably get him home. I'll talk you two tomorrow."

"Say high to Annie for us," Abed yelled out as Jeff left.

Jeff waited until he was in his car before calling Annie. "Hey."

"_Hey Jeff! How'd it go with Fur Ball?" _

"You've been gone a week and you already miss the dog more than me."

"_Shut up. Of course I miss you. I just wanted to know how it went getting him from Troy and Abed." _

"Not too bad. Troy cried, but they both know it's for the best. How're your classes?"

"_So far they're good. My Anatomy class looks like it's going to be tough. We have to work with actual cadavers." _

"Bet you're wishing you studied law like I told you to."

"_Just because it's gross doesn't mean it won't help me. You're not driving are you?" _

"I'm in my car, but I haven't started it yet. Also, I think Fur Ball would have ratted me out. I don't know how, but I know you trained him to bark if I'm using my phone while driving."

"_Tell him he's a good boy." _

"You know he can't understand you, right?"

"_Yes he can. Maybe now the actual words but he understands infliction. _

"Whatever you say dog whisperer."

"_I'm hanging up now Jeff." _

"Oh come on, you know you love me."

"_Of course I love you. But that doesn't mean you don't drive me crazy."_

"I doubt we'd work if we didn't push each other's buttons occasionally". He glanced in the back seat as Fur Ball started jumping from the seat to the floor and back again. "The dog's getting antsy so I'm going to take him home. I'll talk to you later. Oh yea, Abed and Troy told me to tell them hi."

"_Aw! I'll make sure to call them tonight." _

"Ok. I'll talk to you later."

"_OK. Bye Jeff." _

"Bye."

Once Jeff got to his apartment he brought Fur Ball inside first, and then went back to his car to get the box full of doggy stuff. Once he was inside he set the box down and sat down on the floor as Fur Ball came over to him. "Just to let you know little guy, this is just temporary. As soon as Annie gets back you're out of here. So enjoy the next two years." He got back up as he looked back down at the dog. "And if Annie finds out I'm talking to you like you're a person, no more doggy treats for you." He lightly kicked his leg as Fur Ball began to chew on the cuff of his pants. "Hey, cut it out. Those jeans are expensive."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Jeff groaned as he heard the crying outside his bedroom. As he put a pillow over his head a loud crash of thunder boomed outside, followed immediately afterward by Fur Ball howling even louder.

It's all Annie's fault, he thought. She said that whenever there was a thunderstorm at night Fur Ball wouldn't calm down unless she let him sleep in her bed. It had never been an issue for Jeff before since most nights they slept at his apartment since he lived along. But now the dog kept whining every time it thundered and Jeff couldn't get any sleep.

"Go to sleep!" he yelled. The dog was quiet for a few moments, then started crying and howling even louder. Jeff kicked the sheets back in frustration as he got out of bed and opened his bedroom door. "You better quiet down right now or else-." Before he could finish Fur Ball zipped between his legs and leaped onto his bed. "No, that's not going to happen."Jeff grabbed the dog and threw him off the bed, only for Fur Ball to jump right back up. As Jeff started grabbing hold of him again Fur Ball settled on top of the covers and gave Jeff what could only described as a dog formed 'Annie pout'. "Son of a, what is she training you in manipulation?" He pinched the bridge of his nose before he relented and got back into bed. "This is just a onetime thing. Next thunderstorm you're on your own." As he settled in Fur Ball crawled beside him and snuggled close to his body.

Ok, maybe this isn't the worst thing, Jeff thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Now I know he scared you a little, but don't worry. The Penguin isn't in anymore Batman movies," Jeff said as he turned off the movie. He pulled Fur Ball closer to him on the couch as he scratched the dog behind his neck. "If you thought he was bad wait until you see The Joker in The Dark Knight. I still like Jack Nicholson's Joker better, but Heath Ledger's was probably scarier."

Despite knowing that the dog couldn't understand him, Jeff found that he was talking to him more and more since he first took him in a year ago. Talking to animals wasn't something Jeff normally did. When he was a kid he couldn't remember ever having actual conversations with his border collie Bueller. And he always made fun of Britta when she talked to her cats. But for some reason he couldn't help talking to Fur Ball.

"Guess what little guy. Annie comes home tomorrow for the summer. You get to see your mom again for the whole summer. And then in just another year she finishes school and we get her back for good."

They both looked over as they heard a knock at the door. Jeff got up and opened the door without looking through the peep hole. So he wasn't at all prepared for who was on the other side.

"Annie!" He grabbed her and hugged her tightly, only letting go because Fur Ball was barking like crazy.

"Hey little guy." She put her bags down before bending down and picking up the jittery dog, not even caring that he was madly licking her face. "Oh I missed you so much little guy. You're getting big. Yes you are. Yes you are. I remember when you were just a little bigger then Jeff's hand."

"I thought you were coming home tomorrow."

"I finished my final project on Monday, so my professor said I didn't have to go to the final class since I handed it in early." She put Fur Ball down before she grabbed Jeff and kissed him as hard as she could. "God I missed you."

"I missed you to. Even if you practically sucked out a filling there."

As he leaned in for another kiss Annie put a hand up to stop him. "Jeff, before this goes further there's something I have to tell you first."

"What, you're pregnant?" He chuckled before his face grew serious. "Wait, is that really it?"

"No Jeff, I'm not pregnant." She rolled her eyes before taking a breath. "I'm not going back to school next year."

"What? Why? I thought you liked grad school?"

"I do. But I miss everyone here too much. You and Fur Ball and everyone. I can't stand being away for another whole year. So I talked to my adviser and I'm going to finish school on-line."

"Not that I'm not obviously thrilled that you're staying, but I thought you said you didn't want to take on-line classes because it'd take twice as long to graduate."

"Yea, but I'd rather do that then be away from everyone. And with the amount of extra work I did this year it'll just take an extra semester to finish on-line then if I did my last year there." She leaned in to kiss Jeff before pulling back as the rational part of her mind started working. "Oh, I just realized. I have to find a place to live now."

"Wow, you must have really missed us if you didn't plan out every detail of your return."

"Shut up." She playfully rolled her eyes as she giggled. "Well, lets not think about that tonight. Tomorrow I'll go on-line and start looking at apartment listings-."

"Or, I have a suggestion for where you can live."

Annie smiled playfully as she tentatively guessed what he might be saying. "What's your suggestion?"

"Well, this place is big enough for two people. At least for two people who would only require one bedroom. And Fur Ball really likes it here."

"Oh, he does, does he?"

"Yea. And it wouldn't be fair to have him move from a place he likes. Nor would it be fair to take him away from his mother."

"No, that wouldn't be fair. So I guess I have no choice but to move in here. For Fur Ball's sake."

"Right. For Fur Ball's sake." As Jeff looked at Annie he finally couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed hold of her and kissed her as hard as she has just kissed him. They made out furiously as they began to rip each other's clothes off, only to stop when they heard a small bark.

"Lets continue this in the bedroom."

"Yea. I'm not having sex while the dog watches us."

"Ew!" They quickly ran into Jeff's room (which was technically now their room) and shut the room as Fur Ball sat in the living room, cocking his head to the side.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Fur Ball yawned as he woke up from his nap. As he stretched he listened carefully as he heard a funny squeaking sound coming from his parent's bedroom. He had heard that sound a lot ever since Mommy came back a few weeks ago. Whenever he heard the squeaking he thought she was being hurt because he'd hear her scream loudly. But when she'd come out later with Daddy she seemed happy and content. Maybe Daddy was rubbing her tummy or scratching behind her ears, he thought. He was always happy when someone did that to him.

He walked over to the door as the screaming persisted. He was able to catch several 'Oh God' and 'Jeffs' thrown in there. Thinking she might be actually hurt this time he started barking.

"SHUT UP FUR BALL!" Daddy yelled from the bedroom.

Fur Ball cocked his head to the side before he started barking again.

"SHUT UP!"

Fur Ball looked at the door before dropping to his stomach and trying to look under it. He wasn't able to see anything because the lights were turned off. As the squeaking stated up again Fur Ball started howling.

He got to his feet as the squeaking stopped, followed a moment later by the bedroom door opening and Daddy stepping out. While most times Daddy appeared to be made up of many different colors and fabric textures, he was now one uniform pink color. He was covered in sweat and was glaring down at Fur Ball with unmistakable annoyance.

"Listen buddy, your mother and I are having some alone time. And we'd appreciate it if you didn't bark or howl like a maniac until after we're finished." Fur Ball watched as Daddy walked over to the kitchen and got a large raw hide bone out the cabinet. "Here you go. Enjoy this and leave us alone." As Daddy went back in the bedroom Fur Ball dropped to his stomach and started chewing on the bone. He didn't even pay attention to the resumed squeaking and screaming as he went to town on that bone.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Nice dog," a woman in a skimpy halter top said as she looked Jeff up and down.

"Thanks. His name's Fur Ball."

"That's a cute name. How you doing Fur Ball?" She petted the dog before looking at Jeff. "How bout when you're done walking the pouch we can go and get some coffee or something?"

"Thanks, but I'm in a relationship."

"Oh." She glanced over at his hand. "I just didn't see a ring-."

"Doesn't change that I'm in a relationship. With a woman I love very much."

The woman in the halter top nodded in disappointment as she continued on her way. As she left Jeff glanced down at his hand, thinking again about marriage. Unlike how he used to feel, he wasn't completely adversed to the idea of marriage. Or more accurately, he wasn't adversed to marrying one particular person. He just needed to know if he could truly do it. In spite of not really being religious, he needed some sort of sign.

He was so focused on his thoughts that he loosened his grip on the leash. Before he thought to tighten it Fur Ball pulled the leash out of his hand as he raced down the sidewalk.

"FUR BALL!" Jeff ran after him, praying he didn't race into the street. The dog stayed on the sidewalk as he raced past the downtown shops. Jeff weaved his way through people as he saw Fur Ball standing next to a store. "Got yea!" He grabbed the leash and looked down at the dog's panting face. "Don't ever run off like that again! You could have been hit by a car or something! What could possibly make you run off like that?"

Just then Jeff looked over and saw where they were. Fur Ball had stopped right in front of a jewelry store. Jeff looked in the display window, seeing a number of diamond rings. He scoffed as he looked down at the dog. "What are you, psychic or something?"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Annie? You home?" Jeff glanced around before coming into their apartment. He smiled as Fur Ball came running over to him. He never thought he'd say it, but in the two years since he took in the little rascal he'd come to enjoy being greeted by him when he arrived home.

"Hey little guy." Jeff sat down on the floor as he pulled Fur Ball into his lap. "I want to show you something before mom gets home." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small jewelry box. Fur Ball looked at it curiously as Jeff opened it, revealing a sparkling engagement ring. "What do you think? Think she'll like it?" He chuckled as Fur Ball just looked back at him with his little dog face. "Thanks for the vote of confidence buddy."


	2. Chapter 2

"Annie, no. I'm not wearing this dress."

"Britta, come on. It's a beautiful bridesmaids dress. Just try it on."

"I like it," Shirley happily said as she did a little twirl in hers. "I didn't think I'd look this good in turquoise, but this dress really brings out something in me."

"Oh, I'm glad you like it, because I hate it," Britta said. "If I have to wear a bridesmaids dress then it should be black, since marriage is basically the death of being an independent woman."

Annie ignored that comment as Shirley looked at Britta with sympathy. "Is this because Troy hasn't asked you yet?"

"Troy knows better than to ask me Shirley. We both know that you can be committed to someone without assigning archaic titles of ownership to one another."

"Yea, I'm sure that's exactly what he's thinking," Shirley said under her breath.

"Britta, I spent a lot of time picking out the perfect bridesmaids dresses. And you only have to wear it for one day. So can you please just try it on and, FUR BALL NO!" She quickly grabbed the dress as the dog pulled on it. "DROP IT FUR BALL! DROP IT RIGHT NOW!" Instead the dog pulled at it harder, thinking they were playing a game. They both pulled the dress as hard as they could before an ominously ripping sound was heard. Annie yelled as Fur Ball ran away with a large piece of fabric in his mouth. "BAD DOG! VERY BAD DOG!"

"Good boy Fur Ball." Annie shot daggers at Britta as the blond smiled back. "What? He gets what I'm saying."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Jeff took a deep breath as he checked himself one more time in the mirror, making sure his hair looked just right. He'd like to look back at his and Annie's wedding pictures in twenty years and not regret how his hair looked back then.

"Hey Boy, come here." He squatted down as Fur Ball came over. "Stand still." He took the two rings out of his pocket and tied them tightly to a ribbon before securing it to the dog's collar. "There you go. You're all ready for the big day."

Jeff stood up as he heard a knock at the door. "Jeff, it's me."

"Come in."

The door opened as Britta stepped in. "It's time to get out there Winger. Or are you having second thoughts."

"None whatsoever."

"Good. Cause even though I don't personally believe in marriage, I'll still destroy you if you run out on Annie."

"Trust me, there's a better chance I'll embarrass myself on the dance floor then me running out on Annie." Jeff grinned as he handed Britta Fur Ball's leash. "So the woman who didn't even want to be a bridesmaid is now being walked down the aisle by two groomsmen."

"Shut up. Wait, so is the dog a groomsman or the ring bearer?"

"Technically he's both."

"Aren't you afraid he'll do something to mess this up?"

"I think I'm more worried about Troy, Abed or Pierce pulling something then Fur Ball."

Britta scoffed before nodding her head in reluctant agreement. "Well come on, let's get this show on the road.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Fur Ball missed his Mommy and Daddy. They had been gone for several days now. The last time he had seen them was at that weird ceremony they brought him to. He had to walk down a long aisle with the light haired woman and the man who cried a lot. Then everyone stood up as Mommy walked down the same aisle while wearing a fancy white dress. There was a lot of talking before the other guy he used to live with removed the shiny medal circles that were tied to his collar. After that everyone cheered once Mommy and Daddy kissed (he didn't see what the big deal was since he saw them kiss all the time). Then there was a party with a lot of dancing and music that was played too loud for his ears. He spent most of the party playing with the children of the woman who always brought over yummy smelling food.

After the ceremony ended Mommy and Daddy went away and left him with the two he had walked down the aisle with, after they assured him they would be back in a week. At first he had been nervous when he realized he would be staying with the two of them. He remembered when he used to live with the crying man and how he would forget to feed him. But luckily the light haired woman made sure he had food and water. She even took him on walks, even though she would mutter about how she never had to walk her cats.

At first Fur Ball had been nervous of those skulking creatures. He had only seen people and other dogs before. But for the most part they weren't that bad. A few didn't like him. Like Daniel, a really old one eyed cat that hissed if he got too close to him. But he managed to get along with most of them. He even made friends with one, a black and white cat named Chelsea. They would run around together and she even shared her food with him.

But he still missed his Mommy and Daddy. He had never been away from both of them for so long. Even when Mommy went away for a really long time he at least had Daddy. But now both of them were gone. And he missed them.

XXXXXXXXXXX

When Fur Ball woke up that morning he just somehow knew his parents were coming back today. His suspicions were confirmed when they arrived that afternoon. As soon as the light haired woman and the crying man answered the door he bounded right over to them, joyfully barking as he stood on his hind legs. They were both tanner then they had been when they left, and Mommy had a strand of beads threaded through a lock of her hair. He yipped impatiently as they hugged the light haired woman and the crying man before they finally tended to him.

"Oh, I missed you so much." Mommy said as she picked him up. "I hope you were a good boy for your Aunt Britta and Uncle Troy."

"He was fine," the light haired woman said. "I think he even made friends with Chelsea. How was Hawaii?"

They both glanced at each other slyly. "Um…it was good. Really good. Really really good."

"You stayed in your hotel room pretty much the entire time hu?" the light haired woman said with a mischievous grin.

Fur Ball looked at his parents curiously as Mommy blushed and Daddy chuckled. "We did…other stuff. We did spend half a day seeing where they filmed Lost."

"Nice!" the crying man said. "Please tell me you took pictures."

"I'll post them on-line so everyone can see him."

The four of them chatted some more before his parents decided to head home. As they walked to the car Fur Ball couldn't help licking Mommy's face.

"Fur Ball stop."

"I'll take him," Daddy said. He took hold Fur Ball and held him, not even minding when he licked his face.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Damn it," Annie lightly swore. She glanced down at her stomach, feeling guilty that she had sworn. But it was just so frustrating. Shirley made knitting seem so easy. But even after a month of practice Annie still had difficulty mastering it. She looked at the half completed baby blanket. I still have a couple months before it has to be finished, she thought. I still have time.

She looked over as Fur Ball wandered into the living room. Glad for any excuse to stall off the unwelcome task, Annie put down her knitting supplies and called the dog over. "Come here boy." She bent down, which had been far easier to do before she became pregnant, and picked him up. Rather than sit the dog in her lap she carefully draped him over her stomach. The dog laid down on his own stomach, spreading his paws around the expanded area.

He placed his head over Annie's heart as she petted him. "How are you doing? Just wait. In about two months your baby sister will be born. You're going to be a big brother to little Leslie." She smiled as he looked up at her. "Listen. When the baby arrives we're going to be very busy taken care of her. And you might think you're being neglected because of how much attention she'll be receiving. But no matter what happens, I want you to know that Jeff and I love you very much. And that will never change." As she petted the dog Fur Ball looked up at her, seeming to grasp what she was saying.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

This is definitely one of the stranger couples I've shown houses to, the realtor thought. Actually, in retrospect they weren't that strange. Not like one couple she once showed houses to that had specifically asked for a finished basement that could be turned into a sex dungeon. These two were a perfectly lovely pair. But she did find it strange that they would go house hunting with a dog and a four month old baby. Maybe not so much the baby, but it was certainly odd that they'd bring their dog.

"Ok, so that house wasn't to your liking. I do have one more in this neighborhood that I think you'll like."

The Winger family got in their car and followed Suzy the realtor through the neighborhood. "That last house wasn't that bad Annie."

"It wasn't a bad house. It just wasn't us. Plus Fur Ball kept sneezing in there. So I'm sure that meant something. I'll know when we find our home."

They continued down the long suburban streets before the realtor slowed to a stop in front of a modest sized house with a picket fence. They parked next to her and got out, Jeff putting Leslie in the portable basinet while Annie kept a firm hand on Fur Ball's leash. As they followed Suzy Annie took in all the details. The white picket fence, the large oak tree off to the side in the front, the friendly looking red brick on the lower half of the house, the white siding on the top half, the red wood stained door with just a hint of fuschia coloring, the white stone walkway that led to the back. The closer they got to the house the bigger the smile on Annie's face got.

"Here we are," Suzy said as she opened the door and led them in. Annie gasped as she and Jeff looked at the large airy living room. "This really is a lovely home Mr. and Mrs. Winger. Light blue walls in this room. I believe it was recently painted. White crown molding." She gestured to a door to their left. "Closet right in the foyer to put your coats in."

"How many floors are there?" Jeff asked.

"Three main floors, plus a basement and an attic. The main ground floor has the living room, a connecting dining room, and the kitchen. The second floor has the master bedroom, three additional bedrooms, and a full bathroom. And in the kitchen there's a staircase that leads down to the den, which also had another full bathroom your children or guests can use. Let's continue, shell we."

"I like this place," Annie whispered to Jeff.

"Here's the kitchen. It has garnet top counters, an island, wooden cabinets. And over there is the door that leads to the backyard.

Annie practically sprinted over as she opened the door, gasping at the large backyard. "Jeff, look!" Jeff looked over Annie's shoulder as she took in the sight before her. "Can you imagine Leslie playing out here? We can get a swing set for her and she and Fur Ball can run around."

"I could probably build a tree fort in that low one over there," Jeff said as he pointed it out. "Though if we did that Troy and Abed would probably use it more than our children would."

Annie giggled giddily as she turned to Suzy. "Can we see the rest of the house?"

They followed the realtor to the second floor. She showed them the master bedroom (with both Jeff and Annie being impressed with the ample closet space), the other bedrooms and the bathroom. They then saw the den, with Jeff whispering to Annie that they could put a billiards table and a big flat screen TV down there.

"Well Mr. and Mrs. Winger," Suzy asked as they went back to the kitchen. "What do you think?"

Jeff took hold of Annie's hand to try and keep her from revealing her excitement. "It's definitely a very nice house. But I do have to remind you we have a pretty fixed price range."

Suzy shifted through the papers in her hand before she found the one for that particular house. "Well Mr. Winger." She took out a small pad of paper and scribbled something on it before folding it up and handing it to Jeff. "This is how much the previous owners are asking for."

Jeff opened the paper and looked at. He kept his face passive as he refolded it. "Do you mind if we discuss this outside."

"Of course, take your time."

Jeff led his wife out into the backyard. "Well," Annie asked apprehensively.

Jeff carefully put the bassinet down before handing Annie the slip of paper. He waited for her to start jumping up and down. Instead she looked up at him as a slow disbelieving smile started forming on her face. "It's within our price range."

"It's within our price range."

She let go of the leash as she hugged Jeff tightly, squealing in joy. They pulled away once they heard emphatic barking. They started laughing as they saw Fur Ball laying on his back, wiggling around in the grass.

"I guess that's the final endorsement we need," Jeff said.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Even after all this time Jeff still sometimes heard that little voice in his head that scoffed at how happily domesticated he had become. Like now when he was videotaping home movies.

"And here we have Annie," Jeff said as he excitedly focused on his wife. "Say hi Annie."

"Hi," she said good naturally as she waved to the camera. "You are going to put that down eventually and help me with dinner, right?"

"Hey, I'm capturing our precious family moments. And at least I just film them as they are. Whenever Abed does this he tried to recreate classic family sitcom moments."

She laughed as Jeff moved downstairs to the den. "Now let's see what little Leslie is up to." As he went over to the baby blanket he saw his daughter roughly petting Fur Ball, who seemed to be stoically taking in the baby's affection/abuse. "Oh Leslie, no." He turned off the camera and sat down next to the baby and the dog. "That's too rough sweetie. You have to be gentle. Like this." He took Leslie's hand and guided it so she was gently stroking Fur Ball's fur. "See, that's better. Now you try."

He watched as Leslie petted Fur Ball more gently then she was doing before. "There you go." He smiled as Fur Ball wiggled his body. "See, the doggy likes it."

"Dob, dobby."

"Yes sweetie, doggy."

Leslie laughed joyously as Fur Ball sat up and started licking her face. "Aw, you two are becoming friends." Jeff carefully got up to get the camera as he filmed the interaction between his daughter and the dog.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Annie opened her eyes and looked over at the clock on the bedside table. 1:58am. As she wondered why she was awake she heard faint barking outside the bedroom door. It was hard to hear due to the air conditioner, but there was no mistaking that it was Fur Ball. She started to lay back down when the barking grew louder, followed by scratching at the door.

She turned to Jeff and shook his shoulder. "Jeff, wake up. Fur Ball's barking."

"Good for him," Jeff said sleepily.

Annie scoffed as she got out of bed and opened the door, revealing Fur Ball barking and anxiously moving from side to side. "Fur Ball-."

Before she could continue the dog bit the cuff of her pajama pants and pulled as hard as he could. As she took a few steps into the hallway to shake him off she was able to hear something she hadn't heard before; someone faintly crying 'Mommy'.

Fur Ball let go of her pants and bounded over to Leslie's bedroom, with Annie following him. As soon as she walked in the stench of vomit unexpectedly filled her nose, causing her to almost throw up herself. She walked over to Leslie's bed and switched on a light. Her daughter was curled into the corner of her bed, staying far away from the puddle of vomit on the center of her sheets.

She looked up at her mother, a look of shame in her eyes. "I threw up."

"Oh Honey." Annie bent down and picked up her daughter, not even caring that bits of vomit were getting on her. "It's ok. Don't worry about the bed. What happened, you have a stomach ache?"

As the little girl nodded Annie called out to Jeff. "Jeff!"

"WHAT!"

"Our daughter threw up!"

A few moments later Jeff walked in the room as he just finished putting on a t-shirt. "Hey," he said in a soft soothing voice. "You're not feeling good?"

As she nodded her head Annie turned to Jeff. "Can you get the thermometer?"

"Sure."

They took her temperature, luckily finding that she didn't have a fever. Annie cleaned up Leslie and put her in fresh pajamas while Jeff stripped the bed and threw the dirty linins in the washing machine. And while they tended to Leslie Fur Ball stood near the little girl, quietly watching over her like a little furry protector.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"I don't wanna go!" Leslie screamed.

"Leslie, you have to go!"

"I DON'T WANNA!"

Annie groaned as she looked at the clock, seeing that she had fifteen minutes to get Leslie to school or else she'd be late. Oh sure, I can take her by myself, she hysterically thought as she remembered what she had told Jeff that morning. Now Jeff's safe and snug on his way to work and I have to deal with this.

"Leslie, you'll like kindergarten. Trust me. You'll color and learn about numbers and the alphabet. And you'll meet a lot of other kids to play with."

Annie sighed impatiently as Leslie closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. I blame Jeff and his school hating genes on this, Annie thought. Because that's the only way a child of MINE could not be excited about starting school.

Just as she was about to lose her patience she heard Fur Ball enter the kitchen. Suddenly getting an idea Annie picked up the dog and held him in front of her daughter. "Leslie, listen. If you don't want to go to school that's fine."

"Really?" she said as she opened her eyes.

"Yes. But if you don't go you'll be disappointing Fur Ball."

"He's a dog. He doesn't care about school."

"Actually, he does. When he was a puppy he went to doggy school."

"Really?" Leslie asked as she petted Fur Ball.

"Yes he did. And by going to school he learned a lot and become the good smart dog he is right now. Don't you also want to be a smart girl who learns stuff?"

"I guess," she said apprehensively.

"I know Fur Ball would be upset if you didn't go."

She looked at Fur Ball before nodding her head. "Ok Mommy, I'll go. For Fur Ball." She grinned as she shook her butt, imitating a dog wagging its tail.

"Fur Ball will be really happy. Now go get your stuff so we can go." As Leslie ran out of the room to get her backpack Annie held the dog close to her. "What would I do without you?" She involuntarily giggled as Fur Ball licked the skin just below her neck.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Come on Fur Ball. We have to save Jack from the evil Captain Ruthie."

Leslie dramatically looked around the living room before cautiously skulking forward, with Fur Ball following right beside her. The seven year old carefully stepped over pretend booby traps before gasping loudly as she approached Annie's stuffed kangaroo Ruthie and Jack. "Oh Captain Ruthie! I come with my faithful dog to ask for my baby brother back. Please give him back to me!"

Just then Fur Ball ran forward and started sniffing Jack. The two year old starting laughing as the dog licking him.

"Fur Ball!" Leslie grabbed the dog and pulled him back over to her. Fur Ball wagged his tail before wiggling out of Leslie's grip and bounding back over to Jack.

"No! You're not, MOM!"

"What is it?" Annie asked as she stepped out into the hallway.

"Fur Ball's not playing Island Adventure right. He keeps going over to Jack."

"Leslie, Fur Ball's a dog. He doesn't understand that he has to stand still for Island Adventure."

"Toto doesn't run away."

Annie sighed as she nodded her head. "Yes. But Toto's a movie dog. He was trained for that kind of stuff. Fur Ball's a pet dog. He likes to spend time with you and your brother."

"But I want to play Island Adventure right," Leslie whined.

"Leslie, just figure this out for yourself," Annie said as she went back in the home office to finish up some work.

Leslie sighed dramatically as she sat down next to Fur Ball and Jack. She grabbed hold of Fur Ball and cupped his face with her hands. "You have to stand next to me until we fight Ruthie. You're not playing right."

The frown on her face disappeared as Fur Ball started licking her face. "That tickles. I love you too. Even if you don't listen to me when we play."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR FUR BALL! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

Everyone cheered as Jeff gave Fur Ball a doggy treat. "Good boy."

Annie tousled the fur on Fur Ball's head before she picked up the gift bag next to the kitchen table. "Look what we got you Fur Ball." She reached in and pulled out the gift. "A new doggy bed. It had cotton stuffing so it's extra comfy."

"I want it. I want it!" Jack excitedly cried.

"Jack, this is a doggy bed. You have your own big boy bed," Annie said. "I'm going to see if there are any more vegetables in the garden."

"Can I come?" Jack asked.

"Of course." Annie took hold of her son's hand as they walked out into the backyard.

Leslie petted Fur Ball before looking up at her father. "How old is Fur Ball?"

"He's…" Jeff paused as he thought of the answer. "I think he's thirteen."

"You think?"

"Well, mom had him first when she used to live with Uncle Troy and Uncle Abed. She'd know better than I would."

"Is thirteen old for a dog?"

Jeff was quiet for a moment as he reflected on the question. "Yea. Thirteen is old for a dog."

As Leslie went outside to find her mother Jeff looked down at Fur Ball. "Hey little guy." He brushed the grey hair in the dog's muzzle. "Looks like we're both going grey. Least that's better than the alternative hair wise. Though I don't think dogs usually worry about going bald." Fur Ball sat down and looked up at Jeff, who petted him for a little longer than usual before he went to start making dinner.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Somehow Jeff just knew that something terrible was going to happen as soon as he woke up that morning. It was a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't shake. He tried to brush it aside as he did his daily morning routine. Like he did every morning he quietly got out of bed, making sure not to disturb Annie as he put on his running clothes. As he walked to the kitchen he looked over at Fur Ball lying in his doggy bed. He smiled as he remembered taking the dog on light jogs when the weather was nice. But unfortunately he hadn't been able to do that in some time. In the past couple years Fur Ball had developed arthritis, and it had become harder for him to walk then it used to.

"Hey little guy." As Jeff went over he knew something was wrong. The dog was panting and he had his hindquarters plopped over the side of his bed. "Fur Ball?" As Jeff touched his backside the dog let out a terrible howl of pain. It was then that Jeff saw a protruding lump near his tail.

"It's ok boy. It's ok. I'll be back in a minute." He quickly marched upstairs and shook his wife awake. "Annie wake up."

"Jeff? What is it?" she said sleepily.

"It's Fur Ball. Something's wrong."

The sleepiness immediately left her as she sat up in a panic. "What's wrong?"

"There's a lump near his tail. And when I felt it he cried in pain."

Annie bolted out of bed and ran to the kitchen to look at the dog, with Jeff following behind her. After she saw the dog's condition she grabbed hold of the phone and called the vet. "This is Annie Winger. I need to see Dr. Adleman immediately…my dog's in pain and he had a lump near his tail…I don't care if he's busy, this is an emergency…you…oh thank you, thank you. We'll leave right away." She hung up and turned to Jeff. "They said they can squeeze us in at 8:30 before they officially open at 9."

"Mom?" They both looked over as Leslie came into the kitchen. "Is something wrong?"

Annie went over to Leslie, not wanting to upset the ten year old. "Leslie, we have to take Fur Ball to the vet."

"Is something wrong with him?"

Annie desperately tried to keep her face from crumpling as she looked into her daughter's eyes. "We don't know yet. That's why we're taking him to the vet. Listen, I need you to be a big girl for me today. I'm going to call Aunt Shirley and ask her to take you and Jack to school this morning. I need you make sure he doesn't get upset, ok. I need you to look out for your brother."

Leslie nodded her head before she hugged her mother. She then timidly walked over to the doggy bed and sat down next to it. "Hey Fur Ball." She carefully reached her hand out as the dog whimpered and licked her fingers. As she whispered something in his ear Jeff swallowed down the large lump in his throat.

As soon as Shirley came over Jeff and Annie put Fur Ball in the car and drove over to the vet. Once they got there the nurse took the doggy bed and carried Fur Ball into the exam room. Jeff and Annie sat in the waiting room, both of them a nervous wreck. Neither of them said anything as they waited for the outcome. Jeff took hold of Annie's trembling hand as he nervously bobbed his own leg.

"Mr. and Mrs. Winger." They looked up as Dr. Adleman stuck his head in the waiting room. "You can follow me."

They followed the veterinarian into his office. He closed the door before turning to Jeff and Annie. "I wish I had better news to tell you then this. Your dog had a tumor, which has formed on the base of his spine near his tail."

Annie sniffed as tears flowed down her face. Jeff laced his fingers through hers as he tried to keep his own tears from spilling out. "So what can we…what are our options?"

"We can always try surgically removing the tumor. But with the advanced age of the dog, that would at best give him maybe a few months. And with his arthritis the surgery would greatly reduce his ability to be able to move his hind legs. It's possible he would have to drag his hindquarters in order to get around. The only other option is putting him to sleep. I know this is a big decision, so I'll go outside and give you a few moments to discuss how you want to proceed."

As Dr. Adleman walked outside Annie turned to Jeff. "What do you think?"

"I don't know. I don't want to make this decision." He sniffed loudly as he rubbed his eyes. "Maybe, maybe he could get bet-." Before he could finish his voice caught and he hung his head in his hands. "I thought it was bad when I was a kid and Bueller got hit by a car. But this is so much worse."

Jeff brought his head up as Annie gently lifted it out of his hands. "Jeff, listen. We both love Fur Ball. And we want him to be around as long as possible. But it wouldn't be fair to keep him around if he'd spend that extra time suffering in pain. Neither of us want that."

Tears flowed freely down both their faces as Jeff nodded his head, the two of them having made one of the hardest decisions they've ever had to make. Jeff hugged Annie tightly before they stepped out into the hallway and approached Dr. Adleman. "We talked about it. And we decided to put Fur Ball to sleep."

"I am sorry. I know how difficult this must be for you. If you would like you can say goodbye while I sign out the drugs and get everything prepared."

"Thank you."

Dr. Adleman led them to the exam room before leaving to get what he needed. They approached Fur Ball, who was laying in the doggy bed on the exam table. He looked like he hadn't moved since he had laid down in that bed. As Annie gently stroked his face she thought back to the day she got him fifteen years ago. How she didn't want him and felt his unexpected presence threw off her plans. But like many things in her life, it had just proved that going off course had been for the best. That dog had given her so much love and happiness. She couldn't imagine not having had him in her life.

"Hey." She fought back her tears as she crouched down so she was eye level with the dog. "I…I know you're in a lot of pain. But we're going to make sure you don't suffer anymore. I just want to tell you how much I love you. You were more than just a dog. You were a member of the family. And I will always love and remember you." As she kissed his forehead Fur Ball inched up and licked her face, causing her to sob in sadness.

As she stood up Jeff placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before pulling a stool over and sitting beside Fur Ball. As he gently petted the dog he truly realized how grateful he was for him. That dog was the reason he and Annie had eventually gotten together. He had helped Jeff coup when Annie had gone away to grad school, and played a part in his decision to ask Annie to marry him. He had been a watchful companion to their children and a constant force of love and joy in the life of him and his wife.

"Thank you," he softly said. As he said it Fur Ball looked up at Jeff, the two of them sharing something that words could not express. Jeff continued petting the dog, irrationally hoping he'd never have to stop.

"Mr. and Mrs. Winger." They looked over as Dr. Adleman came in the room. "It's time."

"Will it hurt?" Annie asked.

"He won't feel a thing. If you would like you can stay here while it happens. It's completely up to you, but most people feel better when they can see for themselves that their pet leaves here gently and pain free."

Jeff looked over at Annie as she nodded her head. They stood beside Fur Ball and placed a hand on him while Dr. Adleman inserted the needle and injected the drugs. Without moving his head Fur Ball looked up at his parents. He licked their hands one more time before he closed his eyes and was gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Jeff fought back the fresh round of tears as he finished filling in the grave. He knew Leslie and Jack were upset enough with Fur Ball dying, and he didn't want to aggravate them any more so.

As he wiped his eyes Jeff placed the wooden grave marker he and Annie had made by the front of the grave. He looked down as he reread it.

Here Lies Fur Ball

Dog, Family Member, Beloved Companion

He put the shovel away before going into the kitchen, where Annie and the children were sitting around the table. "It's, we're ready."

Annie nodded her head as she brushed some hair out of Jack's face. She took hold of Jeff's hand as the Winger family went out to the backyard to pay their final respects to their beloved pet.

"Fur Ball," Jeff said. "You were more than a dog. You brought me and Annie together. You were there for me when I got married, when my children were born. You…"

Jeff hung his head as deep sadness took over him. Just then he felt someone take hold of his other hand. He looked over and saw that Leslie was holding it. While she also looked sad, she squeezed her father's hand in comfort before stepping forward.

"Fur Ball. You were a very good dog. You were there for me for as long as I can remember. And no matter what I will always remember you. I love you." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a doggy treat, placing in on top of the grave. "Goodbye Fur Ball."

Jeff and Annie looked over at their daughter, impressed and touched with the level of maturity she was showing. As she hung her head Jeff placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. They looked at each other, both of them gaining strength from each of them.

Little Jack stepped forward, looking down at the grave. "Bye Fur Ball." He looked back over at his mom. "I don't know what to say?"

"Say whatever you want Honey."

He nodded his head as he looked back at the grave marker. "I'll miss you very much."

He stepped back as Annie stepped forward. "Fur Ball. You were the first pet I ever had. But you were more than a pet. You were a member of the family. You were a wealth of love and kindness, and I'm grateful to have had you in my life. No matter what I will never forget you. And I know you'll still be with us, watching over us."

Jeff stood behind Annie and placed his arms around her, wiping away her tears. She turned into him and buried her face in his shoulder. The Winger family stood there for several minutes before they all headed inside. As the children walked in the house Jeff and Annie took one last look at the grave, both grateful for the little bundle of love that had came into their lives.


End file.
